Archive for December, 2011

The Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School Music Club performed “We are the World” at the NC State College of Education Graduation Ceremony at the McKimmon Center on Dec. 17. There were over 100 Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral graduates and their families/friends, in addition to the faculty of the College of Education. The students did a great job and were honored to be invited to perform. The Music Club is an after school activity that meets once a week.

At its Dec 21 meeting, the Board of Education named Beth Cochran Senior Director of Magnet Programs, Wade Martin principal of Middle Creek High and Fred Sawyer principal of Durant Road Middle.

Dr. Cochran has served as principal of Enloe Magnet High since 2005. Prior to that, she was principal of Ligon Magnet Middle. She was an assistant principal and teacher at Broughton High. Earlier, she was a high school teacher in Beaufort County, NC schools.

Martin served as principal of Martin Magnet Middle since 2006. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal at Broughton High and teacher at Enloe Magnet High.

Sawyer has served as Executive Director of Secondary Professional Development for CASE21 in Durham since 2010. Prior to that, he was a middle school principal and elementary school assistant principal in the Durham County, NC schools. Earlier he was an assistant principal and teacher in middle schools in Craven County, NC schools and Orange County, NC schools.

The board named retired principal Thomas Dixon to continue to serve as interim principal of Middle Creek High until Martin arrives in February.

Lufkin Road Middle School students in Jennifer Asmus’ business marketing class wrote letters asking the soldiers questions about their lives and thanking them for their service. One of the soliders – Specialist Robert Ramsey – talked with the students from Afghanistan over Skype Nov. 17. Asmus and her students found Ramsey’s unit through anysoldier.com. Asmus and a student in her class have family members in the military, who have been deployed in Afghanistan.

Lufkin Road Middle School students in Jennifer Asmus’ business marketing class had a skype conversation with a solider in Afghanistan.

Students at Jeffreys Grove Elementary exchanged cards with students in other countries to learn about holiday traditions. Pre-K teacher Lea Cumming and first-grade teacher Lee Merritt worked with the students to create their own cards and share information about celebrating the holidays.

The project helped students work on their writing skills, learn social studies lessons about other countries and find out about holiday traditions such as decorating trees and hanging stockings by the fireplace.

The Wake County Public School System Special Education Services leadership developed resources for parents of students receiving special education services. Assistant Superintendent Lisa Grillo and Dr. Melanie Fagert worked with the Special Education Parent Advisory Council to create resources helpful for parents.

You can find the information online here. Click on the Parent Information Center to enter the Billboard site.

The students and faculty of Wilburn Elementary moved into their new school at their old campus this month.

The school system constructed a new two-story building to accommodate classrooms, Administration, Student Support Services, Kitchen/Dining rooms and provided new finishes in the classroom buildings and additions that were renovated.

The school had moved in April 2010 to the temporary modular campus on Spring Forest Road in Raleigh during the construction work.

Six Leesville Road High teachers earned certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. They were part of the 2011 Class of 156 Wake County teachers to earn certification, the second largest group of any school district in the nation.

Four of the six teachers met to discuss the demands of earning certification and the impact it has on their instruction.

WCAP, Broughton High School’s student-run television station, culminates it’s 20th Anniversary with a Reunion Celebration from 4 – 5 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the school’s media center. More than 100 alumni, former advisors, friends of the station, and current students will be attending. The event is part of WCAP’s year long celebration of 20 years of excellence in video production. The organization kicked things off in September with the premiere of WCAP’s first ever music video. Broughton faculty members received cupcakes at a faculty meeting in October. Also in October, Broughton hosted an Electronic Journalism Panel Discussion for WCPSS students. WCAP produced a “20th Anniversary” special edition newscast, which will be available on its website, wcaptv.com, on December 20th.

The New Schools Project highlighted Wake Early College of Health and Sciences student Christopher Hart-Williams in a student voices feature. Hart-Williams discusses the impact of attending a small school.

“I have enjoyed my high school experience and I am happy I made the decision to go to an Early College,” said Hart-Williams. “I was surprised to find out how much I mattered as an individual.”

The North Carolina New Schools Project is a public-private partnership that sparks and accelerates innovation in secondary schools with the vision of every student in North Carolina graduating ready for college, careers and life.

Middle Creek High football star Rashawn King has captured national attention as a finalist for the PARADE magazine Rudy Award. King is one of 12 high school athletes honored as inspiring high school football players.

Coaches, parents and teammates nominate players for this prestigious award. A national selection committee chaired by former New England Patriots star and four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Bledsoe, Fox Sports commentator and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, and Leigh Anne Tuohy whose story is told in the movie The Blind Side select the 12 finalists.

The Rudy Award winner will receive a $7,500 college academic scholarship; $2,500 will be awarded to four runners-up, $1,500 to the fan favorite, and $1,000 to each of the six remaining finalists. They will be featured in the Jan. 15 issue of PARADE alongside the 2012 PARADE All-America High School Football Team.

After being diagnosed with leukemia in June 2010, King missed a year of football and basketball. He vowed to recover and return to his high school team.

With King playing, Middle Creek’s football team finished 10-4 and advanced to the third round of the 4AA state playoffs.

King inspired his fellow students. They created a video documenting King’s battle with cancer, his treatment and his return this year to the football and basketball teams. You can view a video about King here.